Raven's Cry
by Hecate's Kiss
Summary: An AU Valdemar where Vanyel is gone yet Randale held on for two years. A new young woman comes to Haven with her father as he takes over a council seat. She spends time with the Companions and has gifts. Yet she hasn't been Chosen. Why?
1. 1 Arrival

Heralds of Valdemar and related characters are the sole property of Mercedes Lackey. Any songs are the respective property of Firebird Entertainment and Mercedes Lackey / Larry Dixon. This story is a derivative work based off Valdemar.

I can only claim those characters that are mine, and the story that is mine. The universe and canon all come from the original author, Ms. Lackey.

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><p>The clop of hooves striking cobbles was a soothing rhythm to Raven De Milari. Her mount was a burnished bay with some white specks showing through his coat. She still thought he was as handsome as the day she had first seen him nearly ten years ago. Her father called him an old campaigner, and a champion sire. Dental's Crimson Flame had sired almost two thirds of the horses sold in the last six years on her father's holding. Now, a son of his was taking over the position of Prime Stud. She felt Flame's unease as people crowded around her and her sister, Imalla. She laid a soothing gloved hand on the stud's neck and shifted her seat, grimacing slightly at riding side-saddle. She knew how to ride like a man, but her mother, ever her mother's gentle voice saying, "it is simply not proper." She thought to herself, <em>even the Lady-Heralds ride like the men do. They couldn't be Heralds and stay side-saddle.<em>

Raven sighed and swiped absently at the curl that always seemed to fall into her eyes as Flame arched his neck and settled next to her sister Imalla's gray mount Winterflowre. She suppressed the grin that rose as she realized that Flame was preening for 'Flowre. The mare didn't seem to pay any mind to the stallion. However, she was thankful the mare was shock-proof and wouldn't startle at anything, since Imalla was even less comfortable in the saddle than Raven was. She flicked a glance to her mother's black palfrey mare Shadow and rolled her green eyes as the mare curvetted and danced next to her father's dapple gray stud. The horse was behaving exactly as her mistress was. Excited to be in the crowd, in _Haven_ as her mother would have breathlessly stated. The people crowded around her was making her skin want to crawl. She had never seen so many people in her life. How did they live so close to each other, she wondered, stacked on top of one another like bricks in a wall.

Imalla gave a small squeak, causing Raven's attention to switch back to her blond sister, who clutched at the reins, causing 'Flowre only to snort slightly and shift to the left, closer to Raven.

_:Thank you, Lady.: _Raven thinks at the mare as she stabilizes her sister with a careful hand. She only sighs slightly when Imalla jerks away and then flails slightly as she regains her balance, yet Raven's lips curve slightly in a smile as she feels a small burst of relief from both her sister and the mare.

"Why can't we use the coach? It would look impressive, especially with the matched set of chestnut geldings. I mean, green and crème with brass fixings would make such a statement!" Imalla whines, her blue eyes dark and unhappy. Raven just shakes her head and swats at the curl.

"Malla, look at how crowded we are here, we barely have enough room to ride two together without almost stepping on a child or merchant as they go along the street. Our carriage would never make it through some of theses streets. We are taking the direct way to the palace gates. You can ride that far, you've ridden to Artel Keep often enough. Its the same distance." Raven said quietly, flicking a hand over Flame's ear, sending a fly up again to feast somewhere else. She just sighs, knowing that her older sister is going to complain until they get into the gates.

"But this is so slow!" Imalla said with a huff, and Raven watched their mother turn, dark hair gleaming in the mid-day sunlight. She then held up Flame slightly to fall behind her sister and her mother as she dropped back to ride with Imalla. She was still close enough to overhear her mother though.

"Imalla Tarshe De Milari! Think before you speak! You are a _lady _any other expression save that of polite tolerance is unacceptable at Court! Your behavior would reflect badly on your father! Now we will be there shortly. Simply survive, then we can get out of this dreadful sun." Lady Rowena De Milari hissed the words and then twitched the reins and her mare trotted back to the side of Gray Demon.

"Raven? How's Flame handling?" Lord Sandon De Milari called back over one shoulder as his wife rejoined him.

"Seems fine, Father. Not sweating too much, breathing is fine. Can't really sense any shift of his weight off a foot. He would have demonstrated already if the saddle were uncomfortable." Raven called and she is gratified by the smile that her father turns in her direction. She loves the horses just as much as her father. She also mutters under her breath, "If he hated this saddle anymore I'd be riding bareback."

She got a feeling of amusement from the stud she rode and patted him absently on the neck, amused as much as the stallion, because she knew she could ride bareback and her mother would die of mortification, because it "just wasn't done!".

"Good, we should be there soon, whoa boyo. Watch your left ladies, we have to move around a cart." Her father called back, checking his mount slightly, before guiding him around the cart heaped high with bread. She let her sister go first and then slipped her mount into the small space in the crowd right behind her sister.

After the cart, they dropped once again into riding two across and Raven forced herself to focus on her sister who seemed to be pouting. But, she reasoned, Imalla did not have a reason to pout, she had been in the wrong and deserved the scolding. She strangled a sigh and spoke.

"Malla, the blue does look good, your eyes are really blue, and Flowre shines when paired to you."

"It should, do you remember how many horses father traded for this cloth and your green? I still don't understand why you used black lace for trim, though the brass buttons do look wonderful." Imalla remarked, perking up as her sister complemented her blue riding habit with ivory buttons.

"I doubt anyone else at Court will have the fashion sense you do, Malla. You should catch the eye of every courtier there. You are so pretty. I'm not nearly as lovely as you."

Raven forced the drivel out, even though her sister was beautiful, she realized long ago the only way to cheer her sister was to flatter her ego. Even if she was using standard platitudes that she had learned at her mother's skirts as a babe.

"Thank you Raven, you aren't so bad looking, really. Dark hair with a curl is charming. Your eyes are the color of new grass, they will be interesting at Court. You will have the younger boys commenting about your eyes and your skin... even if it is slightly tan, there are powders that can mask that. And we can apply a light shade of pink to your lips."

"I knew you were good with clothing, not with cosmetics. Has mother been teaching you?" Raven asked, as though she were truly interested. Instead she was half watching the hustle and bustle of the street around her. Small boys were darting in and out of horse traffic, and-

Suddenly she was broadsided by a burst of fear from her left, she automatically swiveled her attention, scanning for a small flurry of fur amidst all the people. She knew the cat was on her left, she just knew it was close, but not if it was directly headed for them. She knew at least one horse would startle from something springing up under its nose.

"Hold the horses steady, cat running!" Raven called and she suddenly spotted the small feline streaking around a man dressed in dark blue, who was knocked off balance as a dark canine lunged after the small animal that was going to dart right under her father and mother's mounts. She cringed as the cat startled Shadow even further and set the mare to dancing. She winced as the dog yelped, startled, as he was clipped by a hoof. She sighed when the cat scrambled up a wooden post and onto the second story of a building.

"Sharp eyes there, Raven. Thank you. Everyone all right? Steady boyo, steady." Sandon called back and Raven sighed in relief. The last time something similar had happened at the Keep... Imalla had ended up in the mud. She smothered a chuckle that wanted to rise as she remembered just how upset Imalla had been about wet muck and her "ruined" rose and crème dress. That dress had actually been washed and remade for Raven, who looked fine according to Rowena in it.

"Poor kitty. Why do dogs even do that?" Imalla asked, nervously patting Flowre with a bare hand as the glove slipped from her lap towards the cobbles below. Raven made a grab for it and felt it slide through her fingers, she quelled the curse she wanted to voice, and _reached_ for it. The glove landed in her palm and she closed her hand on the brown leather. She handed it to her sister as she replied, shifting in her seat to try and get _comfortable_.

"I think dogs just like to chase things that run. That's all. Oh look Malla, I think those are the gates and that's a guard standing there waiting for us!" Raven said, her attention going from the discussion to her surroundings again and she saw Imalla start to bounce with joy before she schooled herself into sitting like a _lady_. Raven just sighed and hoped the welcome wouldn't take too long. She wanted off the stupid saddle as soon as possible. She hated riding side-saddle.

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><p>AN: Well, tell me how I did please? I'm new to writing fanfic and decided to start out with one of my favorite universes first. More will follow as I get more of the outline written.<p> 


	2. 2 Settling In

Raven was thankful the palace servants had been quick to welcome them with warm, fresh rolls with butter or jam and cold tea. It was exactly what she needed after the ride. She slid easily from the saddle when her father helped her dismount. She was the last down, and gave Flame a fond pat before his reins were taken by a waiting groom. When the young man would have led him away, Raven laid a hand on his arm to get his attention.

"He's been slightly shifting weight off his left fore. Please check it, and if needed wrap a cold bandage over the hoof. And if that doesn't work, try mixing crushed mint into the water for the bandage. It's an old injury that flares up from time to time. He's well mannered, I'd watch more for the black palfrey's temper if I were you, than this boy. He's more likely to try and pull on your shirt than bite."

The groom nodded, taking her completely seriously, his salt and pepper hair showing his age, yet his light blue eyes showed kindness. He smiled when the stud nuzzled the girl and she gave him a gentle hug, before turning her attention to the horse.

"I'll be by later with an apple for you, Flame. Be nice to the stable boys, you hear me? No antics. I know you, you like to try and steal people's hats."

Raven then allowed her father to lead her into the palace, following the blue clad servant that had patiently waited while she fussed over the horse. She took her roll and cup of tea with a quiet word of thanks and took a small sip. She glanced up at her father and took note of the worry line between his golden brows.

"He wasn't really favoring it, Father. If he had I would have gotten off and checked the hoof myself. It was just a hesitation. And as you always said, a hesitation is -"

"Always a prelude to more problems. Well, some of the best people that know horses in the entire kingdom are here in Haven. I hear that Lord Withen is here, and he has a fantastic line of hunters. If I needed any more advice, I can always grab one of his grooms. Though, you seem to have taken to the horses the way I did. You were always running around with Melly in the stables, hanging on his every word about horses as a little girl."

"Well, he let me help. I felt like I was actually doing something in the stables... carrying a water bucket, feeding, currying, helping with cleaning some of the tack. In the keep, all I did was sit and study or practice my curtsey. " Raven grimaced as her father chuckled slightly at the look on her face. Oh, she could act the perfect empty-headed court butterfly if she had to, but she didn't _like_ it.

"Out in the stable I could actually do something useful. The horses were all so happy to see me coming, because they knew that all their itchies were soon to be brushed away. And don't forget, Father. The Heralds are also here, they treat their Companions for any illness. I wouldn't be surprised if they know more about horses than we do. Even if the Companions are more than horses, they are still horse shaped." Raven said when she realized her father was about to argue about the Heralds and the knowledge of horses that they probably had.

"I concede your point, Daughter. Now, here are your rooms, we are right across the hall from you it appears. Get out of that riding habit. I know you are just waiting to do so. Your mother may be over shortly with her plans for the rest of the day. If you are not in the suite, then you will not have to listen to her talk about the Court, or be included in her group of ladies and needlework. I would suggest, however; that you take your harp with you. If she asks, that way you have a constructive excuse. Now, off with you. I must change. I still have to meet the other men on the council and see the man I'm replacing off. Lord Darven. I think his son, Kaven is around. He should be leaving with his father, so if you see him -" 

"Express my regrets that we will not have time to socialize and get to know one another more while at Court. I know, Father mine. Mother has scolded that into my head a number of times when she thought I was being rude to my betrothed." Raven interrupted quickly, and then glanced down in apology for having done so. Her father simply placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a slight squeeze before pushing her slightly towards the suite of rooms she would be sharing with her sister and a lady's maid.

"You can have the bedroom with the outer door, though its not really an outer door." Imalla said as soon as Raven closed the door behind her. She stared blankly at her sister for a second and then realized that Imalla was pointing to a door to her left. She shrugged when her sister turned back into the room she had claimed, noticing that the parlor for the suite was done in shades of green and gold. A bowl of light wood with red apples sat on the table that was placed between the two doors.

The throw pillows on the couch and pair of chairs before the fireside were golden thread, and the chairs and couch were hunter green. The rug seemed a mixed green and yellow floral affair, the floor was stone, and she realized suddenly, she was still on the ground floor of the palace. The wood felt friendly and welcoming, even for being dark with age, and she realized just how old the door was when she touched the handle. She felt the smoothness of the brass, worn from many hands having touched the door repeatedly, even though the door handle was carved with vines and flowers.

Opening the door she was greeted by a simple arrangement of furniture and noticed that her room was done in a mix of dove gray and dark green. Dark green rug spread between the hearth and the bed, a padded gray chair next to a small hearth, currently unlit. A dark wooden chair with birds carved into it sat next to a small desk of dark wood. Across the room, in a corner was dark wood four-post bed, large enough to sleep three of her, done with green curtains and blankets, and tucked in the opposite corner was a dark wooden cabinet for clothing and a screen done in the same bird design as the chair and the four poster. The dark could have been overwhelming if not for the fact that the walls were not stone but white plaster that off-set the wood very nicely, and hanging on an iron hook was her harp case.

She sighed, the color scheme was not exactly to her liking, but she figured that whatever her sister had chosen would have been even less so. To her right she noticed a large window done in green and yellow glass, and walked over to it. She made idle not that the rug was thick enough to muffle her riding boots. A brass handle, similar to what was on the door to the bedroom was on the left. She pulled the door open to get a look outside and see why her sister had said that it was a door but not. She found a small inclosed courtyard, made by a high wall of gray stone that ran to the greater wall that formed the palace, it created a small triangle of sorts. She glanced at the bushes hugging the walls and smiled at the yellow and white rose bushes, and then paused as a glint of metal showed through the leaves.

Stepping out, and leaving the door ajar, she walked toward the gleam of metal, and smiled slightly as she realized there was a small, one person gate hidden by the foliage. She chuckled softly with the realization that her sister had not taken careful note of the wall, otherwise she would have taken the room. At sixteen, Imalla would have loved a way to sneak out of the suite with no one the wiser. Now, however; there would be no way for her sister to gain the room. Raven would simply refuse to move.

As she moved closer to the gate she heard a cough on the other side of it. She peered cautiously through the foliage, and smothered a laugh when she realized that there was a member of the guard on the opposite side of the gate. That made it doubly unsuited to her sister's idea of a good room. Raven laughed slightly as she returned to her room and closed the glass door. Now that she was familiar with her immediate surroundings she figured she could find the stables and feed Flame that promised apple.

Turning to the clothing cabinet she pulled it open, hoping that Nina had already unpacked for her. She was relieved to see that the lady's maid that split her duties between herself and her sister had already managed to hang her gowns and that the shelves contained most of her folded black or brown leather breeches and a multitude of soft colorful tunics as well as some that were black. She grabbed a pair of brown leather breeches that tied off at her ankles, a soft, plain green woolen tunic the color of her father's coat of arms, a pair of undyed woolen socks, what appeared to be a undyed leather vest, and one of the two pairs of outdoor boots.

Taking the clothing, she nudged the doors of the cabinet shut and made her way behind the screen. Behind the screen was a small table with a china pitcher and basin, and a padded, dove gray bench. She set the clothing on the bench and then sat to remove her riding boots and the fine stockings that were underneath. Once those were off, she stood and shrugged out of the jacket, and then reached for the ties that were at the sides of the skirt rather than in the back.

She had argued with her mother over the design of the green riding habit and and for once, gotten her way. The side ties were _not_ in fashion, but she honestly preferred it that way, since it allowed her to dress without needing the help of a maid. The skirt dropped to the stone floor, followed quickly by the petticoat, worked the same way, with side ties, and then the fitted shirt that was pure black with a simple tie closure. She draped it over the bench with the jacket, then wiggled and squirmed a bit until she caught the ties that restrained the boned corset. When it fell to the floor, she breathed a sigh of relief. She hated that garment most of all. Her mother always had it being pulled tighter and tighter, and she could barely breathe.

Raven reached for the soft green linen under tunic that went with the clothing she had picked out, she sighed at how comfortable it was. Then she paused as she remembered she was covered in road dust. She turned to the basin and gave herself a quick wash and drying, using the bit of toweling that was folded next to the basin. She then slipped on the under tunic. Next came the socks, which came up to mid thigh. She then pulled on the vest like garment on and laced it closed so that she wouldn't "show through her clothing" as her mother always phrased it. Though, she thought ruefully, she barely had anything _to_ show as it was. Next came the soft brown leather breeches, and finally the tunic and boots that came up to mid-calf. Fastening a brown belt over the top of the tunic, she heaved a slight sigh of relief. She was almost back to her normal.

She then reached up to pull the pins that had held her hair in an elaborate riding style. Her hair tumbled coal dark down her back in a froth of curls, which she quickly grabbed, twisted into a simple bun at the base of her neck and pinned down. She finally felt like herself, and not some painted porcelain doll. There was one last thing to grab before she made her escape, a small bone handled knife no bigger than her thumb. It sat comfortably in any boots she wore and had been a gift from Melly, who had told her that such a knife was a useful thing in the stable. She tucked it into her left boot and then bent to grab the discarded skirt and petticoat.

She draped the skirt and petticoat over the backless bench and set her boots neatly underneath it. Having seen repeatedly how her sister left her room, Raven was determined not to give the poor maid even more to do when it came to her room. Of course, that wasn't always the case, there had been times she'd come in from the stables dripping in mud and muck. It had taken and hour to clean the floor after she had tracked it in, but, she had shaken herself before entering, it just hadn't helped much. She'd also left her blankets in a horrible tangle from time to time, especially if she were late rising for breakfast.

Now though, the room was neat, and all she needed to retrieve before making her escape was her harp and a pair of apples from the bowl on the other side of her bedroom door. Both things she did quickly, walking as quietly as she could, going across the rug where possible. She had just reached the outer door to the suite when the ladies maid Nina poked her graying head around the door that was on the wall with the fireplace.

"And jes where do ye think yer goin Missy Raven?" Nina asked, her brown eyes as soft as her country accent was hard.

"To visit Flame and practice my harp where it won't annoy Malla." Raven said as she squashed the quick flare of guilt at being caught.

"An' avoid yer lady-mother? Ge on afore she ges 'ere." Nina said with a jerk of her head. Raven wasted no time complying. A pair of apples was already down her tunic, held in place by the belt and the harp was in its case and slung over her shoulder. She closed the door quietly and then looked around. She wasn't exactly sure how to get back out to the stables, or in fact exactly where they were, to be honest. So, she decided to backtrack to where she had left Flame to a groom and go from there. At least that was the plan until she almost tripped over a young boy in page blue with sand-blond curls and soft brown eyes.

"Sorry, are you all right?" Raven asked, steadying the child as he bounced off her legs and paper went flying every which way. She ignored his reddening face and bent to help scoop up the papers that were scattered around the floor.

"Sorry. I did na see ye, milady." The boy mumbled and Raven shrugged. She'd stepped suddenly into the hall, the page couldn't have known that the door would open right when it did. She tapped the papers into something resembling order on her knee and handed them back.

"It would be a big help if you could tell me the fastest way to the stables. Please?" Raven asked and the boy nodded with a slight smile for her asking instead of ordering.

"Gwain down tha hall ta tha left. Pass three doors. Go through doubly doors an' down tha hall. Door at end is ta horses. Follow ta path to tha right an' ye'll be at tha stable." The boy pointed to a hall and Raven thanked him, and from the brown leather pouch that hid under her tunic she produced a pennybit. She smiled at the way the boy's eyes lit up and she suddenly had a craving for a lump of maple sugar candy. She shook off the feeling and headed in the direction that the boy had pointed, venturing through a brightly lit corridor and a pair of light wood paneled double doors. She darted through the long hall, aiming for the door that would set her free to the stables.

Just as Raven reached for the door handle it opened underneath her hand and she was face to face with a young woman of about twenty two with light brown hair and light, yet lively brown eyes dressed in all white. She saw the slight shock that she must have also been displaying flash across the Herald's face.

"Sorry, about that, Lady-Herald. I was just headed to the stable. Figured I'd give the grooms a hand by walking and currying my own mount." Raven said with a slight smile.

"Since there is a new councilor and his family coming in today, that would be useful. You are..."

"Raven De Milari, one of Lord Sandon De Milari's daughters. We arrived a bit early I expect." Raven said with a slight bobble of a curtsey, since she wasn't certain of the Herald's rank in relation to her own and decided that it would be on the side of caution to at least show respect.

"So it seems. I'm for the council chambers myself. Should I tell your father you are out, or will he expect it?" The woman asked as a gray horse gently nudged her by the shoulder, causing the woman to step back slightly to allow Raven to clear the doorway.

"He knows, suggested it even. I've got my harp with me, so that Mother won't be too mad with my escape into the stables. I'll take your mount back with me, that way a page doesn't have to be pulled from another duty." Raven offered, holding her hand flat for the fine boned gray horse to sniff.

She smiled when the horse nudged the woman again and then nuzzled her palm.

"All right, Tydair. I'm off. Oh, I think he knows you have an apple or two under your tunic. He should be pretty easy to lead. My boy has a sweet tooth, don't you?" The Herald said with a chuckle as she reached back and patted the soft nose of her mount gently before handing the blue reins to the young girl and slipping inside.

"Well, you are a handsome boy, aren't you." Raven commented as she gently turned the horse in the direction that she had been told to go by the page. The horse plodded amicably along next to her nuzzling into her hair with a sniff. He then pulled his head back and snorted slightly, as though clearing his nose.

"Blame my mother for that smell. She insisted I use that soap. Supposed to smell like flowers. I don't like it much either. But, its Mother, what can I do about it?" Raven said philosophically as she and the horse rounded a bend and walked into the stable proper.

The place was a bustle of activity. Five different stable lads were running around, one cradling an arm that was bleeding while a black palfrey that was very familiar to her was dancing at the end of a lead line, eyes rolling. Another lad was holding a chestnut stud away from her father's Gray Demon and both animals looked ready to come to blows over something and were squealing and snorting at one another. A fourth stable boy was just dropping the latch closed on Flame as Flowre nickered a greeting from where she stood in cross ties and another groom was currying her. Raven rolled her eyes and glanced at the horse she was leading. She spotted that he was on a hackmore and looped a rein around a post at the water trough and gave him a quick pat. If a stable boy had been bitten by Shadow already, she was probably the only one that could get the mare into a stall at the moment.

"Be right back, Tydair. Need to get a lady into her stall. I'll groom you right after she's taken care of. Promise." Raven said, and she smiled slightly as the horse nuzzled her and nudged her forward.

"Heyla. You there, bleeding. Go see a healer about that. I got her. She won't try that twice with me. Will you Shad?" Raven asked as she walked quickly up to the mare, dodging the hooves that kicked out with easy grace. She snagged the lead line and watched with amusement as the stable lad let go of the rope as the mare reared, squealed, and lashed out again.

"Hey now. None of that missy. Down. Come on, down! What's all the fuss, really?" Raven asked, her voice going into a sing-song croon. Her attention was fully on the mare, thinking the words even as she said them, trying to soothe the high strung mare down the way she had seen the old stable hand Melly do so many times before. She shortened the rope when the mare came back down on all fours and then was dragged forward a few sliding paces as she went up again, yet only half as high as before.

"Its a dry place, like any other. You know Flowre and Flame and even Demon. Whoa now, down, down. Come on now. Easy girl, shh. Nothing to be afraid of. You know me. Down to ground little one. Come on now, you know me. Easy, easy. Good girl. Good good girl. Shh. Nothing to be afraid of here. Nothing at all."

By the end of her little speech the mare was on all fours and snorting softly and one of Raven's hands was holding onto the halter. The mare wouldn't rear again if she didn't have her head. The way Raven had the halter also ensured that the mare couldn't sink her teeth into her either. She sighed and turned her attention to the gaping stable boys.

"Okay, first off, get that arm looked at. She has removed chunks before, sooner stitched, sooner mended. Secondly, somebody tell me if the stall at the very end down there is ready for occupancy, and Demon, shut it!" She roared the last, and the gray stud that had been lunging towards the chestnut suddenly sobered and looked at her from one rolling eye. Even the chestnut seemed to settle after her shout.

"Aye Lady, the one at the far end is ready." The dark haired boy that had been currying Flowre called out, staring at her wide eyed.

"Fine, I'll force Shadow down there. Once she's stalled she'll be docile. It's just getting her to that point after a long ride that is the trick." Raven said with a nod, as she turned the mare into the stable so that she was on the inside of the wall, between the mare and the other horses. The mare tried to rebel about half way down, and Raven just looped the end of the lead rope over the mare's nose and applied a bit of pressure as she muttered at the mare.

Once the mare was stabled and the lead line removed, Raven breathed a sigh of relief. Fighting the mare into a stall had always been Melly's job before now. She flexed her fingers and winced feeling just how tightly she'd been gripping the halter. She then turned back towards the other gray stud that was standing at the water trough, seemingly just waiting for her to remember he was there.

"Well, since Shadow just probably put you all behind, I'll groom this gray I was leading earlier. Demon is cool by the way. If he's acting like a fighter, he's cooled down. Stable him on the opposite side of Flowre though. Don't put him next to Flame. He will not nip at a mare, but will try and nip at Flame. Flame, mind you, will ignore him, but it gets annoying after a while." Raven said as she walked past the young men and untied the gray stud and led him to the cross ties. She looped a rein around his neck and slipped the bridle off and a halter on with a deft slight of hand that told any watching she'd been doing it for a while.

She glanced at where the cross tie was and then at where the horse was then sighed and held out her hand. She swiped at it once, and realized she was _just _out of reach. So she grabbed for it again, and the clip for the tie landed in her hand and she quickly clipped it to the halter and then walked over and grabbed the other cross-tie. Once the gray was secure she retrieved Flame's set of brushes, which were in a cloth case hanging in front of his stall.

As she returned to the horse and started brushing she started humming, working gently on his neck and down to his shoulder, brushing off what she could of the dust. She smiled when Demon was tucked into his stall with only a single cow kick to his door. That too was normal.

When the stud nuzzled her tunic she laughed and gently pushed his nose to the side as a stable boy set a bucket of water down next to her with a brush and a small pile of towels. She nodded her thanks and continued to brush down the stud. He glanced at her and lipped at her tunic again. She laughed and murmured, "After your bath, sir. After your bath."

The brushing went quickly, and then she took one of the towels and doused it in the water. She used the warm water to soak off the worst of the dirt using the wet towel, which was around his legs. She shook her head, thinking the stud could only have gotten his legs that muddy by wading into a stream or river. She used the brush to help scrub gently at what she couldn't get easily removed. She rinsed the towel out, wrung it and carefully wiped around his face. It was as she was cleaning around his eyes that she noticed that they were blue.

"Why, aren't you a pretty boy, gray with pewter mane and tail and blue eyes. I can see why the Herald would have kept you, even with a Companion. We never forget our first loves. And I'm sure you are her love, even now." Raven said as she took the strap and ran it over the horse, wicking away extra moisture before she reached for a towel to finish the job.

As she dried the horse she slowly realized the hair under her hands was no longer gray, but white. She scratched him under the chin and he nuzzled at her tunic again with a slight nicker of entreaty. "And there you are, sir. And as promised, Tydair, one apple." Raven said producing the fruit from under her tunic and holding it flat on her palm. As he ate she quickly picked out his hooves and gave him a scratch between his half closed eyes.

"Did ye say Tydair, Lady?" A stable hand asked as he scooped up the used towel, giving her an odd look in the process.

"Yes I did. Why?"

"Lady? Tha s na horse. 'S Companion." The boy said, and Raven took a very careful look at the horse like shape that stood calmly in cross ties, munching on an apple. She blinked. White hide, check. Blue eyes, check. Weird, not quite horse feeling from the entity... she blinked again... check. Oops.

"Oh. Beg your pardon, Companion Tydair. Well, sir, you would have stood still without the ties then, wouldn't you?" Raven said, addressing the Companion and quickly reaching up to undo the cross ties and then as an after thought, the halter. She could feel that she was blushing.

"Well, its not every day that a Companion will have somebody drop everything and give them a full brush and bath. He says thank you for the bath, and for the apple. Its been a while since somebody made such a fuss over him." A young man said from her left. She turned to face a boy a few years older than herself in the same type of uniform as the Lady-Herald, just in gray. His accent was slight, but she recognized it as not being native to her region.

"Well, I'm pleased he's not upset at being treated like just another horse. If I'd known that he wasn't... I … I would have asked about the bath. Beg pardon again, Companion, sir." Raven said not sure now what do do with the damp towel she held.

The boy laughed softly as he looked at the Companion that was lipping at her tunic."He says if that's the way you treat horses, then the horses should feel honored. He thought you knew he was a Companion."

"No, I just understand that horses understand us, on some level. They aren't as smart as a Companion, nor can they be. But they do like it when we talk to them. I didn't mind giving him a bath at all. He needed it. Looked like he was wading around in a pond or something. Sorry if I took a job away from you, Trainee...?"

"Kendrew Roarke." He sketched her a brief bow, his light brown curls swinging into his gray eyes. "From down near Deercreek. And don't worry. He's not my Companion. He's Herald Jisa's. My lady is Soriva, ah here she is." The trainee walked over and scratched the Companion mare under the chin.

A bell sounded and Kendrew sighed. "Well, that is the dinner bell for me. Soriva says she wants you to give her a bath the next time you are willing to do so. She's managed to talk Tydair into escorting her back to the field. Will you join me for dinner, lady...?"

"Raven De Milari. I'd love to, but I believe I'm supposed to eat with the Councilors tonight. A sort of farewell and welcome dinner for the man my father is replacing and for my father. And for that, I need to change. Thank you for the offer, Herald-Trainee Roarke."

"Just call me Kendrew or Kend. Everyone does. Do you know the way back to your rooms?"

"Not a problem. Better go before there's nothing left but day old bread and jerky though." Raven said with a slight smile and the young man nodded and turned towards his dinner with a wave.

Raven then finally turned her attention to the entire reason she had come to the stable in the first place, her boy Flame. She smiled when he nuzzled her expectantly and laughed when he whickered for his apple. She pulled it out and offered him the treat as she let herself into his stall.

It only took a moment to realize he had been stripped of his tack, brushed, and then stalled. The bandage she'd asked for had not been placed over his left fore. She sighed, reached over the door and pulled out the hoof pick again.

"Well boy, it looks like I need to check everyone then. Even that cranky girl Shadow." Raven said as she lifted his left fore and carefully started cleaning out compacted dirt. She winced when the pick hit stone, and carefully began to work the sliver of pink out from between his hoof and shoe. When the chunk was free of the hoof she reached in and pulled with her fingers.

"Why didn't you tell me about that, Flame? That _has_ to hurt." Raven said, staring down at the chunk of rose quartz that was thin at the place it had wedged under the shoe but bulged out to be thicker than her thumb at the other end. She stuffed the piece of stone into her belt pouch and quickly picked out the other hooves while biting back anger. She had _told_ that stable hand to wrap the hoof. It shouldn't matter that she was only thirteen. She _knew_ horses.

Raven let herself out of the stall, scooped up the bucket that had been of wash water and tossed it against the stones that made up the side of the stable before stalking over to the water pump and getting fresh cold water.

"You there, get me a length of bandage, the kind you normally use to wrap a leg on a hunter, and the smaller length for around an ankle. Damn it, that's going to need mint at least."

The water sloshed over the sides as she lugged a full bucket back to her mount, and set it down outside the stall. The stable boy came running back with plain clean bandages. Raven plunged the longer immediately into the water and waited for it to soak before she pulled out a packet of herbs that was always in Flame's travel kit. She sprinkled it into Flame's water bucket, and then grabbed the bandage.

Flame stood quietly as she unwrapped the dry bandage and packed it gently into his left fore hoof before wrapping the entire thing with the wet bandage which would shrink around the hoof as it dried. She and Melly had done it for Flame several times before. The smaller bandage would cushion the frog of the hoof and catch any infection that might be brought out by the shrinking bandage.

"Sorry about that, old friend. Drink up now. Come on. It will help with the pain. I'll inform Father about this. It won't happen again. I'll make sure of it." Raven said quietly as the stallion stepped forward gingerly and buried his nose in the water.

After Raven had checked all her family's horses, and was satisfied that everyone else had been fully taken care of – even Shadow, who had apparently acted up _after_ she had been bathed, she bid the horses a good night and headed for the palace and her father.


End file.
